Personal letter from Tennessee, Feb. 27, 1861 HA: Secession? Whether or not to secede from the Union was a huge question for those living in the Southern states. It was even more difficult for those living in border states like Maryland and Tennessee. These states were more directly reliant on the North and feared what might happen if they left. Still, some of their citizens wanted out. This was a constant topic even coming up in personal letters as you will see today. Personal letter from Tennessee, Feb. 27, 1861 Interact Dear Children and Grandchildren, We try again to write a few lines to let you know that we are still alive, but very feeble and do not enjoy good health at this time. Your cousins find themselves in good health and we hope that when these reach your hands they will find you all in good health. Times here are pretty hard, moreso than you ever knew it in this country, no money in circulation and property dont sell at all for cash. Corn and meat are scarce and poor people no money and cannot get it and I am afraid they will suffer for something to eat before the year is out. There are plenty of buyers but cant get money to buy with. We cant give much satisfaction to you about our deranged government. I will say but little but it seems that Tennessee voted the Union ticket, it is said by about 50,000 majority. If the Southern States had all seceeded when South Carolina did, or at least followed right after them and stood up like brothers for right and equality with the North than there would probably been a better chance for a fair and equal compromise. We want you all to write to us if the mail is not stopped. If our letters dont reach you we cannot help it, we do the best we can. We want you to write every chance you get as we would be glad to hear from at any time we think it is the safest chance to mail our letters to the Pea Ridge Post Office. It is a great pleasure and satisfaction to hear from you – true we would like to see you all mighty well but cant enjoy the pleasure. You must excuse my writing to scattering as I am feeble and frail I cant do no better. We hear yesterdays report, but do not know if it be true or not, that Lincoln is on his way to take his seat next Monday and is guarded by Scott and they are going to send them to coerce the South as soon as he takes his seat. We are on the side of secession ourselves, but it appears from the best we know that there is a large majority in the state belonging to the Union party. Affectionately and Forever James Roughton Interacts Visual Response – Visualize what the author is saying and draw an illustration in the margin. Ask yourself: -What does this look like? -How can I draw this concept/idea? -What symbol best represents this idea? Connect – Make connections within the reading to your own life and to the world. Ask yourself: -How does this relate to me? -How does this relate to other parts of the text? -How does this relate to the world? Question - Question both the ideas in and your own understanding of a text. Ask yourself: -What is the author saying here? -What is the purpose of this section/word? -What do I agree/disagree with?
What does the author seem to think about secession What does the author seem to think about secession? Prove your answer with evidence from the text. What does the author seem to think about Lincoln? Prove your answer with evidence from the text. What do you notice about the author of this letter? What do you think happened to James Roughton’s family that he was writing to during the Civil War? Which side, North or South, do you think they supported? Use evidence from the letter to support to your answer. In what way does knowing that the author of this letter is a real person connected to a person you know impact your feelings on this source? Explain.